Submarine escape



June 29, 1943; I s, A, PHILLI S 2,323,238

SUBMARINE ESCAPE Filed Oct. 19,1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 7 J f cw 6- V I v 3 M.

J 7.5-. F I

ifiwfi a a .52 9

J 2/ 5 q I W 4 W 44 f v SZepZazzflPiii/zfis June 29, 1943. s. 'A. PHILLIPS 2,323,233

SUBMARINE ESCAPE Filed. Oct. 19, 1940 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 29, 1943 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUBMARINE ESCAPE Stephen A. Phillips, Everett, Wash.

Application October 19, 1940, Serial No. 361,954

9 Claims. (Cl. 114'16.7

This invention relates to submarines and pertains particularly to improvements in escapes for such craft.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a submarine escape which is so designed that the entire crew of the submarine may be able to leave the craft when the same is disabled under water, the last man operating the escape mechanism from the inside of an escape cylinder which is set free from the craft to rise to the surface under its own buoyancy.

Submarines are, of course, at present equipped with various types of escape providing devices but in those devices where a captive cylinder is employed for carrying the members of the crew one by one to the surface of the water from the founclerecl craft, it is required that there always be one or two men in the craft to operate the escape cylinder, and this means that when all of the crew but the last man or men operating the cylinder have escaped, these last men have no way of getting out. With the device of the to cause the cylinder to rise out of the pressure present invention, the members of the crew may be carried one by one to the surface of the water and the escape cylinder returned each time to the sunken craft, the return of the cylinder being controlled by a member of the crew in the craft and when the last man is left in the craft, he may then, by operating certain release mechanism, enter the escape cylinder and set the same free from the craft by control mechanism operable from within the cylinder so that by this means, the entire crew can escape and no one there'ofis required to give up his life for the others.

Another object of the invention is to provide a submarine escape mechanism in which novel means is provided for releasing or freeing the escape cylinder from the retracting gear by which the cylinder is ordinarily returned to position within a pressure lock of the craft.

Still another object is to provide a submarine escape mechanism in which a novel form of escape cylinder is provided which supplies the men within the cylinder with oxygen and in which the oxygen carrying chamber functions to buoy the cylinder so that it will be carried rapidly to the surface of the water.

A still further object is to provide a submarine escape mechanism having combined therewith a time clock operated valve mechanism for flooding the pressure lock automatically after the last man of the crew has entered the escape cylinder and released the same from its mooring whereby lock.

; The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of thisspecification; with the understanding, however, that the invention is not to be confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings: v,

Fig. 1 is a view in vertical section through the pressure lock of the mechanism showing the cylinder and the cable guide and cylinder follower in side elevation in the lock and showing the time controlled flooding valve actuating means.

i Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the by-pass for the flooding valve. 7 v

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section through the pressure lock and the escape cylinder.

Fig. 4 is a detailed View partly in section and partly in elevation of the release screw coupling the lower end of the escape cylinder with the cable guide. I g V V s Fig. 5is a viewin side elevation of the cable guide in the lower end of the escape cylinder showing the guide at the upper end of the pressure lock and closing the same. I Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5. r r N Fig. 7 is a view in bottom plan of the hatch or coverfor the escape cylinder.

Referring now more particularly to the draw.- ings, the numeral I designate a portion of the hull of the submarine in which the present escape mechanism is incorporated. Extending inwardly from the wall of the hull and opening through the same is a cylindrical housing .2 forming the pressure lock in which is carried the escape cylinder, whichis indicated generally by the numeral 2?. At its inner end the pressure lock is closed by thewall 4 and intermediate it ends there is formed integrally with the pressure lock cylinder, the laterally directed cylindrical body 5 which provides an entrance vestibule 6 leading, into the pressure lock; The outer end of this body 5 is interiorlyI formed to providethe tapered annular seat 1 for a hatch -8."As shown in section in Fig. 3, this hatch'a'is of relatively thick construction and has a tapered peripheral face which is.

located upon the tapered seat I so as to tightly close the entranceto theivestibule s, andextending through the center of the hatch is a shaft 9 carrying upon each of its ends the crank arms l by means of which it may be turned either from within the submarine or from within the vestibule 6. Upon the side of the hatch remote from the vestibule 6, the shaft carries the cross-arms II which are connected by links l2 with locking bolts l3 which engage in suitabl keeper apertures in the wall of the body 5 when the hatch is closed to secure the hatch in position. Within the wall of the hatch, a .casing I4 is formed to house a spring I5, which is secured at one end to the hatch body and at its other end to the shaft 9, and which functions to normally turn the shaft in a direction to extend the bolts l3. In other words, it will be understood that when the shaft 9 is turned to retract; the bolt I3, the spring will be placed under tension so that its normal reaction will be directed to the return of the bolts to their projected and locking positions.

Upon the inside of the pressure lock cylinder 2, there is formed at a substantial distance inwardly from the open end of the pressure lock, the annular shoulder l6 which ha a relatively wide inwardly sloping top surface, as shown in Figs. 1, 3-and'5. At the inner end of the pressure lock there is mounted a cable windlass I! supported upon the shaft I8, one end of which shaft extends through a suitable fluid-tight packing IS in the wall of the pressure lock cylinder and into the interior of the submarine and has mounted thereon the hand crank 20 by means of which the windlass may be rotated.

Extending axially of the pressure lock cylinder wall upon the inside of the cylinder are guide tracks or channels 2| Located within the pressure lock is a cylindrical body 22 which carries axially spaced pairs of rollers 23 which engage in the tracks or guides 2| to prevent the body from turning but permit it to move longitudinally through the lock. The upper end of this body 22 is of slightly reduced diameter as indicated at 22 and at the point of joinder between the main body portion 22 and the portion 22', there is formed the curved shoulder 23 which substantially conform in its transverse curvature to the curvature of the underside of-the pressure lock shoulder l6, so that when this cylinder 22 which constitutes a combined cable guide and escape cylinder follower, has risen 'to the upper end or outer end of the pressure lock as shown in Fig. 5, the shoulder 23 will form a tight joint with the under side of the shoulder |6. Thi cylinder 22 is hollow and, therefore,'buoy'ant and rises in the pressure lock cylinder when water is introduced in the lower part thereof through the pipe line 24 which at one end opens through the bottom wall 4 of the pressure lock cylinder, as shown in Fig. 1, while at its other end it opens on the outside of the submarine. Y

Within the submarine the pipe line 24 ha interposed therein a valve 25 which may be of the gat type and which has a toothed reciprocating control or operating stem 26. Operatively coupled with the toothed stem 26 of the valve 25 is a gear pinion 2! which in turn is operatively .coupled with an electric motor 28. When the motor is operated, it functions to open the valve 25.

' A control circuit for the motor 28 is indicated as a whole bythe numeral29 and includes a source of electric potential such as the battery 39 and a control switch 3| having an actuating arm 32. The numeral 33 generally designates a clock mechanism of a suitable type having a hand 34. 75

This clock mechanism is disposed in suitable operative relation with the switch 3|, so that the hand 34 will function to throw the switch lever 32 after a predetermined period of time to energize the motor 28 for the purpose hereinafter explained.

Connected with the water pipe 24 is a by-pass pipe or shunt 35 extending across or bridging the valve 25. In this Icy-pas pipe is connected 2. pump 36 and a hand valve 31.

The escape cylinder 3 is of suitable size to receive a member of the submarine crew. This cylinder through the major portion of its length is of an overall diameter substantially equaling the interior diameter of the shoulder N5 of the pressure lock and at its outer end the cylinder is slightly enlarged to form the head 38, the overall diameter of which is substantially equal to the interior diameter of the pressure lock, so that when the escape cylinder is in place in the pressure lock, the periphery of the head will be in relatively close contact with the Wall of the pressure lock. The head 38 of the escape cylinder is joined to the main body wall 39 thereof by the curved shoulder forming portion 40. The curvature of this shoulder 40 substantially corresponds with the curvature of the top part of the pressure lock shoulder l6, so that when the escape cylinder is in the pressure lock, the shoulder 40 will be in engagement with the shoulder l6 and the pressure cylinder will be substantially suspended fromthe shoulder l6 in the lock. The lower end of the escape cylinder is drawn off or tapered, as indicated at 4|, this tapered end terminating in a round eccentric point 42 through the wall of which projects the periphery of a centering ball 43.

The top part of the rope guide and follower 22 is provided with the eccentric pocket or seat 44 which corresponds to the shape of the eccentric tip or point 42 at the lower end of the escape cylinder and in the lower part of the seat or pocket 44, a depression 45 is formed in which the centering ball 43 engages.

The windlass I! has wound thereon a mooring cable 45 which passes axially through the cable guide cylinder 42 and is attached by a swivel coupling 4'! to a portion 48 of a coupling screw, which is indicated generally by the numeral 49 and which has its upper portion, which is indicated by the numeral 50, carried in the lower end of the escape cylinder in the manner about to be described.

Within the escape cylinder there is formed the transversely extending floor 5| which lies in the plane of thetop edge of the tapered portion 4| and which divides the escape cylinder into an outer chamber 52 in which a crew member takes his position when using the escape mechanism, and a lower or bottom chamber 53 in which certain parts of the release mechanism for the escape cylinder are housed. Extending axially of the escape cylinder within the chamber 53 and opening through the bottom portion 4| thereof isan interiorly threaded sleeve 54 in which the two parts of the coupling screw 49 are threaded. These two parts of the screw are normally locked together by the locking joint 55 and this joint remains unbroken and the entire locking screw 49 remains in the sleeve 54 at all times during the use of the escape cylinder except when the last man of the crew leaves the vessel, "at which time the two parts of the screw are separated to release the escape cylinder from the mooring cable as hereinafter described.

:"Th'e upperend of the securing screw 49 is extended and'provided with longitudinal teeth to form an elongated gear 55. Within the chamber 53 the elongated gear 56 is in mesh with a spur gear 51 which is supported upon a vertical shaft 58 rotatably mounted upon the side of the sleeve 54. Integral .with this spur gear 'l'is a miter gear 59 and thismiter gear is coupled with a horizontal shaft 60 by smaller miter gears Bl carried upon the horizontal shaft. -{Within the chamber 52 there is located in spaced relation with the wall 39, an inner wall 62 which at its lower end is joined to the floor 5|. The upper end of this innerv wall is spaced from the outer wall by the plate 63 and is joined to the outer wall by the top edge wall 64, the top surface of which wall 54 is beveled to form an inwardly sloping seat 55. for the cover or hatch 65 of the escape cylinder. There is thus formed between the inner and outer walls 39 and 62 of the escape cylinder, an annular chamber 61 which is filled with oxygen. The oxygen from this chamber may be permitted by an occupant of the escape cylinder chamber 52 to flow into the main chamber through the valved tube 68.

Formed through the double wall of the escape cylinder is an entrance opening 69 which is closed by a hatch 19. This hatch is constructed like the hatch 8, being provided at its center with a shaft H which has a handle 12 upon that end which is inside the escape cylinder chamber 52, while its opposite end terminates in a socket 13 upon the outer side of the hatch and carries pins M which facilitate the attachment to the shaft and its rotation by the key l5 which is kept in the vestibule 6. Upon the inner sde of the escape cylinder hatch 19, the shaft 1! carries arms 15 which are connected by links H with latch pins 78, and these pins are normally projected under the action of a spring 19 encircling the shaft 7| and operating thereon, like the spring I5 controls the shaft 9, to project the pins into keeper recesses formed in the keeper ring 89 which is secured in the escape cylinder concentric with the opening 59.

.The escape cylinder top or cover hatch 55 is provided with a window 8! and it also has extending axially therethrough the latch control shaft 92 whichhas the crank handle 83 upon its inner end and is coupled by means of the arms 84 and links 85 with keepers 85 which slide through the outer portion of the cover and engage in suitable its keeper recesses formed in the top edge wall l of "the cylinder. This shaft 82 is axially shiftable and is controlled by a spring 81 which constantly urges it to turn in a direction to effect the extension of the keeper fingers or latches 86, Upon the outer end of the shaft 82 a cross head 88 is secured, which carries keeper pins 89 which engage in recesses or sockets formed in the cover 68 andrthus the accidental turning ofthe shaft 82 is prevented. The shaft can only be rotated by axially moving it so as to disengage the pins 89 from the keeper sockets whereupon the shaft can be turned against the tension of the spring Sl-to disengage the latch fingers and release the cover.

Upon the outer side of the cover 65, a circular collar 90 is formed around the keeper bar 88 and secured over this cover is a cap 9! which carries a mooring ring 92 to which 'a'cable 93 may be connected. This cap thus functions to protect the outer end of the latch controlling shaft 82 and '"also' provides a means for attaching the mooring cable 93 to the outer end of the escape cylinder.

Within the chamber 52 there is rotatably supported the shaft 94 which at its lower end passes through the floor 5| and carries the miter gear 95 which meshes with one of the gears 5|. its upper end the shaft 94 carries a miter gear 96 which meshes with a larger miter gear wheel 91 which is rotatably supported upon the wall of the chamber. The numeral 98 designates a light which may have a self-contained battery and the numeral 99 designates a hand-hold by which the occupant of the chamber can hold himself steady.

In .the operation of the present submarine escape mechanism, it will, of course, be understood that the escape cylinder is initially housed within the pressure lock being in firm contact at the shoulder 40 with the pressure lock shoulder l5. At this time the cable guide and follower 22 will be drawn down to its lowermost position; as shown in Fig. l, and the lower end of the escape cylinder will be seated in the seat or socket 44. Before a member of the crew attempts to enter the escape'cylinder through the vestibule 5, the valve 31 in the pipe line 24 is opened and the pump 35 is operated to remove water from the lock. The hatches 8 and 19 may then be opened and the member of the crew can enter the chamber 52 of the escape cylinder after which both hatches are replaced and securely locked in position; The piunp 36 is then reversely operated to run water into the pressure lock and at the same time, a member'or members of the crew turn the Windlass H to unwind the cable 45. The buoyancy of the escape cylinder and of the cable guide 22 carry these elements upwardly through the pressure lock, the movement of the guide 22 being stopped through contact with the pressure lock cylinder shoulder, but the escape cylinder passes out from the pressure lock and rises to the surface After the member of the crew has escaped through the upper end of the escape cylinder, the head or cover 65 is replaced and the escape cylinder is redrawn down into the pressure lock by means of the Windlass and cable. As the lower end of the escape cylinder approaches the follower 22, its tapered portion 4! will enter the pocket 44 and due to the eccentricity of the pocket and of the pointed end of the escape cylinder, the escape cylinder will be turned as these two parts are drawn together until they are in the proper relation one. to the other to join'as they are shown in Fig.3. Since the follower 22 cannot rotate in the'pressure lock, it will thus be seen that the hatch 19 of the escape cylinder will thus be automatically set in the proper position to aline with the vestibule 5 when the escape cylinder has been drawn fully into the pressure lock. Thewater in the pressure lock is then drawn off by the pump 35 and the operation repeated to carry another crew member to the surface.

When only one member of the crew is left in the submarine, he is able to effect the release of the escape cylinder by himself so as to be carried in the cylinder to the surface. This is accomplished by this last member first closing the valve 3l and then setting the time clock 33 to throw the switch 3| after a predetermined period of time. This period is determined by the length of time that it will take the crew member to open the hatches 8 and I9 and get into the escape cylinder and close the hatches behind him as he passes first through the vestibule and then through the opening 69. After he has entered the chamber 52 and the time period for which the clock is set has passed so that the switch 3| is thrown, the motor 28 will be set in operation to effect the opening of the flood valve 25. This will permit water to enter and flood the pressure lock. The seaman in the chamber 52 then operates the gear 91 to eflect the rotation of the holding screw 49 through the miter gears and through the spur gear mechanism which is coupled with the long gear 55. The screw 49 will be fed downwardly and will thus feed the lower portion 48 out of the sleeve 54. When this occurs, the escape cylinder will be free to rise from the pressure lock and it will then float to the surface carrying the last of the submarin crew.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that the escape mechanism herein disclosed provides a relatively simple and'efficient means for not only releasing members of the crew from a sunken submarine but provides ameans whereby the necessity of leaving one man in the submarine to die is avoided.

What is claimed is:

1. In a submarine escape, a pressure lock cylinder opening at one end through the Wall of and extending into the submarine, said cylinder having a hatch closed opening leading thereinto from within the submarine, an escape cylinder adapted to enter the lock cylinder, a hatch closed opening in the wall of the escape cylinder adapted to aline with the opening of the lock cylinder, means forming a water-tight joint between the lock cylinder and the escape cylinder when the latter is within the lock cylinder, a release cable coupled with the escape cylinder and adapted to be paid out from the the lock cylinder, means within the lock cylinder against which the entering end of the escape cylinder positions when it is in the lock cylinder, the inner end of the escape cylinder having an eccentric pointed end and the means against which the cylinder positions having an upwardly facing seat conforming to said eccentric pointed end to receive the same to effect the orienting of the escape cylinder in the lock cylinder to aline said hatch controlled openings.

2. An escape means for a submarine, comprising a pressure lock cylinder joined at one end to and opening through a wall of the submarine and extending inwardly therefrom, an escape cylinder insertible into the lock cylinder, coacting rib members on said cylinders forming a water-tight joint between the cylinders when the escape cylinder is drawn into the lock cylinder, said lock and escape cylinders having hatch closed openings which are in alinement when the escape cylinder is within the lock cylinder, means for securing and controlling the release from within the submarine of the escape cylinder from the lock cylinder and for re-drawing the escape cylinder into the lock cylinder, a water pipe leading into the lock cylinder beneath the escape cylinder, a valve which when opened effects the flooding of the lock cylinder through said pipe, a time controlled means for opening said valve, and means operable from within the escape cylinder for disconnecting the escape cylinder from the said means for controlling release of the escape cylinder.

3. An escape for a submarine, comprising a pressure lock cylinder connected at one end with and opening through the wall of the submarine and extending inwardly therefrom, an escape cylinder insertible into the lock cylinder and having a removable cover at its outer end, cooperating means between the escape cylinder and lock cylinder forming a water-tight joint between the cylinders when the escape cylinder is drawn to the limit of its movement into the lock cylinder, means for flooding and draining the lock cylinder, said cylinders having hatch closed openings which are in alinement when the escape cylinder is at the limit of its movement into the lock cylinder, a mooring cable connected with the inner end of the escape cylinder, means for paying out and taking in said cable, a follower body at the inner end of the lock cylinder through which said cable passes, said follower moving outwardly in the lock cylinder behind the escape cylinder by buoyancy to a predetermined position upon the release of the escape cylinder, and said follower and the inner end of the escape cylinder being formed to establish one prescribed interlocking relation when the escape cylinder is drawn into the lock in contact with the fol lower to effect orientation of the escape cylinder for the alinement of the hatch controlled openings, the follower being held against rotation in the lock cylinder.

4. An escape for a submarine, comprising an escape cylinder having a removable cover upon one end, a receiver for the escape cylinder forming an integral part of the submarine structure, said receiver having a hatch closed opening, said escape cylinder having a hatch closed opening adapted to be alined with the first opening when the cylinder is in the receiver, a body at the inner end of the receiver against which the other end of the escape cylinder bears when the escape cylinder is in the receiver, a mooring cable connected with the said other end of the escape cylinder for drawing the same into the receiver and into engagement with said body, the said other end of the escape cylinder and said body being shaped, one to have a rounded eccentric point and the other a correspondingly formed depression to snugly receive the point, to require that the escape cylinder and body must be in a prescribed relation before the said other end of the cylinder may completely enter said depression and the said prescribed relation being effected through the axial tuning of the escape cylinder, the said hatch closed openings being in alinement when the said other end of the escape cylinder is fully engaged in the depression.

5. An escape for a submarine, comprising a pressure lock cylinder having one end connected with and opening through a wall of the submarine and extending inwardly therefrom, an escape cylinder movable into the lock cylinder, interengaging annular shoulders formed at the outer ends of the cylinders to establish a watertight connection therebetween, a removable cover upon the outer end of the escape cylinder, said cylinders having hatch closed openings which are in alinement when the escape cylinder is positioned in the lock cylinder, an eccentric round point at the inner end of the escape cylinder, a cylindrical follower in the lock cylinder at the inner end of the escape cylinder, said follower cylinder, and means for paying out and taking in the cable.

6. An escape for a submarine, comprising a pressure lock cylinder having one end connected with an opening through a wall of the submarine and extending inwardly therefrom, an escape cylinder movable into the lock cylinder, interengaging annular shoulders formed at the outer ends of the cylinders to establish a water-tight connection therebetween, a removable cover upon the outer end of the escape cylinder, said cylinders having hatch closed openings which are in alinement when the escape cylinder is positioned in the lock cylinder, an eccentric round point at the inner end of the escape cylinder, a cylindrical follower in the lock cylinder at the inner end of the escape cylinder, said follower having a shoulder for engagement with the lock cylinder shoulder to limit outward movement of the follower, means preventing rotation of the follower in the lock cylinder, an eccentric seat in the upper end of the follower for the reception of a the eccentric point of the escape cylinder, a payout cable extending through the follower and coupled with the innerend of the escape cylinder, means for paying out and taking in the cable, and means operable from within the escape cylinder for effecting the release of the escape cylinder from the pay-out cable.

7. An escape-for a submarine, comprising a pressure lock cylinder having one end connected with and opening through a wall of the submarine and extending inwardly therefrom, an escape cylinder movable into the lock cylinder, interengaging annular shoulders formed at the outer ends of the cylinders to establish a watertight connection therebetween, a removable cover upon the outer end of the escape cylinder, said cylinders having hatch closed openings which are in alinement when the escape cylinder is positioned in the lock cylinder, an eccentric round point at the inner end of the escape cylinder, a cylindrical follower in the lock cylinder at the inner end of the escape cylinder, said follower having a shoulder for engagement with the lock cylinder shoulder to limit outward movement of the follower, means preventing rotation of the follower in the lock cylinder, an eccentric seat in the upper end of the follower for the reception of the eccentric point of the escape cylinder, a screw threadably coupled with the escape cylinder and extending axially thereof, said screw being formed in two axially separable portions, a pay-out cable extending through the follower and having an end swivelly coupled with one of said screw portions, means for effecting the paying-out and taking-in of said cable, and mechanism operable from within the escape cylinder and operatively coupled with the other portion of said screw to effect the rotation of the screw to an extent sufficient to effect disengagement of the said one portion thereof from the escape cylinder whereby to release the escape cylinder from the cable.

8. An escape for a submarine, comprising a pressure lock cylinder having one end connected with and opening through a wall of the submarine and extending inwardly therefrom, an escape cylinder movable into the lock cylinder, means for establishing a water-tight connection between the cylinders at the outer ends thereof, a removable cover upon the outer end of the escape cylinder, said cylinders having hatch closed openings which are in alignment when the escape cylinder is positioned fully within the lock cylinder, means for orienting the escape cylinder in the lock cylinder to bring the hatch openings into alignment when the escape cylinder is fully in the lock cylinder, a pay-out cable coupling the inner end of the escape cylinder with the inner end of the lock cylinder, means operable from within the submarine for paying out and taking in the cable, and means operable from within the escape cylinder for releasing the escape cylinder from the pay-out cable.

9. An escape for a submarine as set forth in claim 8, in which the means for releasing the escape cylinder from the pay-out cable comprises a threaded sleeve in and opening through the inner end of the escape cylinder into the lock" cylinder, a screw threadably coupled within the sleeve, the screw and sleeve extending longitudinally of the cylinders, said screw being formed in two axially separable portions, means forming a swivel connection betwen the cable and that portion of the screw nearest the inner end of the escape cylinder, and mechanism operable from within the escape cylinder and operatively coupled with the other portion of the screw to effect rotation of the screw to an extent sufficient to effect disengagement of the said cable attached portion of the screw from the escape cylinder whereby to release the escape cylinder from the cable.

STEPHEN A. PHILI .|IPS. 

